Ethnically divided Cyprus has seen a significant rise in the number of migrants arriving in the region this year. 70% of them entered the internationally recognized south on student visas given by the de facto Turkish Cypriot government. The visa program offered by Turkish Cypriot authorities is the most popular approach adopted by migrants intending to reach Cyprus. Migrants crossing from the north have to travel across a United Nations-controlled buffer zone to apply for asylum in the southern region of the country.
The main reason for migrants choosing the southern region of Cyprus to seek asylum is that the benefits afforded under international and European Union laws and regulations aren’t available in the north. South Cyprus has benefited fully from EU membership since Cyprus’s 2004 accession. The Turkish Cypriots’ independence is recognized only by Turkey.
Those traveling from countries in sub-Saharan Africa to north Cyprus typically enter the country via Istanbul, Turkey. This route is popular as it is low-risk, relatively cheap, and provides some form of legitimacy. Turkey has taken advantage of this situation by sending more people across the buffer zone into areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus.
Figures from the Interior Ministry show that 95% of migrant arrivals in Cyprus occur from the breakaway north. More than 3,485 of the 3,665 migrant arrivals this year came from the north. Authorities have streamlined asylum determination procedures and stepped up repatriations to prevent migrants from exploiting the country’s slow and overburdened legal system.
As part of EU-backed measures, Cyprus is employing diplomatic and political tools at its disposal as a member of EU to get Turkey to help end buffer zone migrant crossings. Efforts to stem light of such arrivals include liaising with airlines using Istanbul airport and erecting barriers in the buffer zone.
However, Cypriot authorities have been facing difficulties processing asylum applications, as the country’s capacity to cope has been exceeded. The percentage of people seeking asylum or international protection on the island is at 6%, which is six times the average for European border states.
The authorities have said that patrolling the buffer zone with a force of 300 guards could deter smugglers, but they are not pushing back migrants northward due to the contravention of international and EU laws. The EU is currently in touch with airlines operating via Istanbul airport to help reduce the number of arrivals while working with Cyprus to stem migration flows in the eastern Mediterranean. A senior EU official is slated to visit Cyprus soon to monitor the progress.
